See the original of this speech in Bede.—­The Conversion of Edwin, as related by him, is highly interesting—­and the breaking up of this Council accompanied with an event so striking and characteristic, that I am tempted to give it at length in a translation.  ’Who, exclaimed the King, when the Council was ended, shall first desecrate the altars and the temples?  I, answered the Chief Priest; for who more fit than myself, through the wisdom which the true God hath given me, to destroy, for the good example of others, what in foolishness is worshipped?  Immediately, casting away vain superstition, he besought the King to grant him what the laws did not allow to a priest, arms and a courser (equum emissarium); which mounting, and furnished with a sword and lance, he proceeded to destroy the Idols.  The crowd, seeing this, thought him mad—­he however halted not, but, approaching the profaned temple, casting against it the lance which he had held in his hand, and, exulting in acknowledgment of the worship of the true God, he ordered his companions to pull down the temple, with all its enclosures.  The place is shown where those idols formerly stood, not far from York, at the source of the river Derwent, and is at this day called Gormund Gaham ubi pontifex ille, inspirante Deo vero, polluit ac destruxit eas, quas ipse sacraverat aras.’  The last expression is a pleasing proof that the venerable monk of Wearmouth was familiar with the poetry of Virgil.

342. ‘Near fresh Streams.’ [Sonnet XVII. l. 12.]

The early propagators of Christianity were accustomed to preach near rivers for the convenience of baptism.

343. The Clergy. [Sonnet XIX.]

Having spoken of the zeal, disinterestedness, and temperance of the clergy of those times, Bede thus proceeds:—­’Unde et in magna erat veneratione tempore illo religionis habitus, ita ut ubicunque clericus aliquis, aut monachus adveniret, gaudeutur ab omnibus tanquam Dei famulus exciperetur.  Etiam si in itinere pergens inveniretur, accurrebant, et flexa cervice, vel manu signari, vel ore illius se benedici, gaudebant.  Verbis quoque horum exhortatoriis diligenter auditum praebebant.’—­Lib. iii. cap. 26.

343(a). Bede. [Sonnet XIII. l. 14.]

He expired dictating the last words of a translation of St. John’s
Gospel.

344. Zeal.

     ‘The people work like congregated bees!’ [Sonnet XXIV. l. 2.]

See in Turner’s History, vol. iii. p. 528, the account of the erection of Ramsey Monastery.  Penances were removable by the performance of acts of charity and benevolence.

345. Alfred.

    ——­’pain narrows not his cares.’ [Sonnet XXVI. l. 10.]

Through the whole of his life, Alfred was subject to grievous maladies.

346. Crown and Cowl.

    ‘Woe to the Crown that doth the Cowl obey.’ [Sonnet XXXIX. l.1.]

The violent measures carried on under the influence of Dunstan, for strengthening the Benedictine Order, were a leading cause of the second series of Danish invasions.  See Turner.